Target caliber question

[BrianL]

What about the 22 calibers, 22-250, 220 swift etc,
Can any of those reach out?

Cajun is the expert, but yes they will reach out 500 yards. I really enjoy shooting my 22-250 more than any other gun I have. If he is going to shoot competition stuff, the heavier bullets are better(6 mm and up). I shoot a lot of paper, but it is just for fun.

[trjones87]

just like this!!!!!!!!! smokin rifles..serious knockdown power for big game when you need it, and super accurate at very long ranges. (this one is not mine...im still dreaming of one..but someday....)
[ATTACH]241496[/ATTACH]
i didnt see it at first but i now notice it came with a live target thats trying to hide....hmm

Ya this shoots .25 inch groups with factory load, afraid of what it could do with handloads



I just want something smaller so he can have something he can learn to shoot with and after he learns how to shoot, a gun that will be fun for him

[jlptexashunter]

17HMR or .204 Ruger or a good ol' fashion 22WMR

[Mojo]

A sweet 308 is what's best, cost wise...I've got a Savage Model 10fp with Nikon glass on it, it freakin' will spit hairs at 200yds...bagged of course...

[atombomb]

257 weatherby... the ballistic coeffeicient is like none other... not as cheap though

barrel life and throat erosion is a big concern with the weatherby and STW

I like the 308, then 260 (factory ammo is relatively cheap and easy to find now) or the
6.5x284 if you want to reload and touch the 1000 yd mark one day..

[trjones87]

Might have to check out this 260. I've only seen one go for sale on here, rare or people just like them

[Tommyh]

Might have to check out this 260. I've only seen one go for sale on here, rare or people just like them

Savage has started making them in the new year lineup again and ive tossed the idea around in my head of buying the rifle instead of doing a switch barrel. that way i can have a 250 and a 260 to swap back and forth with fairly easily. www.switchbarrel.com

[Coach W]

barrel life and throat erosion is a big concern with the weatherby and STW

Correct like I said it aint cheap, but astonishing none the less.

Any thing small (.17 .22) is not a good long range gun, wind plays too much of a variable in these cartridges and is just not as accurate as heavier faster flying projectiles.

If you wanna stay away from the kick, and want to shoot long distance 260 wouldnt be bad, but not only are rifles hard to find so is ammo.

308 is cheap and easy to find in all grains and has been the weapon of choice for long range snipers for a while.

Then you have to get into magnums and the only way to tame them down enough is muzzle break, a good muzzle break can reduce felt recoil by 80%. BUT it will sound like a cannon so wear protection! My 30.06 shoots like a .223, 300 win mag and 7mm mag feels like a .243. On these heavier mags I like a nice heavy stock, helps with recoil as well, the little plastic factory stocks and even plastic hogue, mcmillan or other high quality stocks on a magnum are a joke..too light weight.

just like the 308 there is a ton of 30-06 ammo out there. If I were going to set up a gun for a college kid that wanted to plink at long distances and not break the bank I'd go for the 308 or 30-06

Just a reminder, do what you think is best but this is my feelings on it.

[txfireguy2003]

Not really a caliber suggestion, as there have been a TON of those already, most of which sounded pretty good to me, but Remington Varmint rifles, as in SPS Varmint, ADL Varmint, etc are pretty nice, and the ADL version will come in right around $500 bucks if you shop around a little, I got mine for $450. They come in many chambers from .204 Ruger all the way to .308 Win. I got the .308, which is the same barreled action as the 700 Police. They won't be quite as accurate right out of the box as a tuned target/sniper rifle, but I saw a writeup where the author was testing one. I can't remember the exact numbers, but he took the SPS Varmint out of the SPS stock and bolted it into an HS Precision takeoff stock from his 700P and cut his groups in half, seems like down to .5moa just with a stock swap. Add a decent trigger (the X-mark isn't horrible, but mine is heavier than I like, the old 700 trigger was fine IMO), glass bed the action, a few other things and you'd have a real tack driver for less than a grand.....not counting glass of course.